Your water company, Belize Water Services Limited won a major victory in court today against the Public Utilities Commission - and it has a direct effect on your water bill. The background is that in February of 2018, the PUC ordered that new, lower rates were to come into effect in April of 2018. BWSL objected and got an injunction blocking the implementation of the new rates.
The issue is that the PUC's review was conducted under what it called "exceptional circumstances" and BWSL argues that no such circumstances existed.
BWSL challenged the new rates in court, and today, in a 32 page judgement, Justice Michelle Arana found in favour of the water company. She found that the PUC did not give BWSL proper notice of Annual Review Proceedings under exceptional circumstance. She found that the PUC acted outside its jurisdiction and the PUC must pay its costs. The PUC was represented by Naima Barrow and BWSL by Rodwell Williams. The PUC said it will decide in due course if it plans to appeal.
The bottom line for you, the consumer is that the PUC felt that BWSL was doing a little too well financially - at the expense of consumers. So it forced a review, and imposed lower rates. But, with this ruling, BWSL's rate remains at about $8.50 per 1,000 gallons.
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